Virtual reality tours and 3D floor plans are the latest rage when it comes to checking out a house, whether the intent is to buy or rent. The question becomes: Should student's rely on VR tours to help choose their rental home.

There are a few things to consider first...

As so many young people are considered "technophiles" in this day and age a virtual tour is something they get excited about. However, nothing beats the real thing. The absolute best way to see the home that an occupant plans on living in is by showing up in person. VR software can be manipulated, after all, and what a student experiences in cyber space may not match up to it's real life counterpart.

There are a lot of software and CGI enhancement wizards out there that know how to multiply the wow factor of walking through a virtual reality version of a home a student is thinking about renting. The problem is, if a student is not seeing the real picture then reality may have a nasty surprise in store for them.

A virtual reality tour can look clean and, well...perfect. However, it is up to the student to see first hand if the VR tour matches up with the actual property in question. Digital marketing makeovers are extensive in this day and age and false images are often promoted in hopes of attracting prospective renters.

Even if nothing beats the real thing, virtual reality housing tours offer advantages, especially for certain kind of students. Out-of-state or out-of-country students cannot arrange for in-person tours of accommodations, at least, with any kind of convenience. Virtual reality student housing tours become very useful in this case.

Virtual reality tours go a step beyond photos and video, whereas they allow for an immersive and interactive experience for student renters, without leaving the comfort of their current home.

As marketing trends move to Gen Z versus millennials, expect more and more technology to be integrated into the mix. , it’s reasonable to predict that virtual reality tours and immersive experiences will become more prevalent in student housing. Ten years from now, we may very well be seeing that virtual reality tours are a must, and photos are no longer the preference.

Here is RSSH's final say on virtual reality student housing tours. It is simply better for a student to actually step foot inside the home they are considering renting rather than depend on a computer generated recreation. This way the said student will actually see what they will be getting rather than hope the VR simulation tour holds a candle to the real home in question.Technology is great but can also be deceptive.

Student's should always practice due diligence and check out the property they are planning on staying in. Is it safe? Clean? The actual distance from the school that's advertised? All thing that can only be verified in person, inside and on the premises of the actual student home.